The tech industry is one of the richest on earth; Apple, Amazon, Google, Microsoft and the like have hundreds of billions between them, saved away for acquisitions and rainy days. Though each company does a lot to help the common man, it is sometimes on an individual level that the greatest effect is achieved.
Take Patrick Awuah, a former Microsoft engineer who has just been awarded the MacArthur grant. Otherwise known as the ‘genius’ grant, this award of $625,000 is globally among the most prestigious going, and also carries with it the honor of being named a MacArthur fellow.
It was the founding of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)-focused Asheshi University in 2002 that propelled him to this point. Offering four-year courses, the institution delivers a valuable service to the wider community, and immensely helping the employability of its graduates.
A former engineer and program manager at Microsoft, Awuah left the company in 1997. He is also a TED fellow
